Telegram is primarily a popular messaging application that can be used to communicate with individuals and groups of all sizes via text, audio, or video. The platform also supports a range of social media features, such as Telegram channels for posting and following news, Stories for posting image posts that expire after 24 hours, and chat groups.
The Telegram app and platform were first launched on iOS in August 2013, with an official app for Android devices launched in October of the same year. In addition to the web version, the official Telegram app is finally available for Windows, Linux, and macOS computers. As of March 2024, Telegram has more than 900 million monthly active users.
Telegram is primarily used for sending text messages to contacts, connecting with others in groups, and following Telegram news channels, but there are many other features that are popular among users.
Here is a list of some of Telegram’s most popular tools:
- Messaging : Telegram users can write text messages to phone contacts and other Telegram users who have Telegram installed. Emojis, Telegram stickers, GIFs, and additional media can all be used in text chats.
- Groups : Telegram groups are essentially group chats used for texting with a few friends and family or building a community around a certain topic or brand. Each Telegram group can support up to 200,000 users and provides a variety of management tools.
- Channels : Telegram channels act as social media profiles or news feeds that creators can post to and others can follow. Channels can be public or private, and both types support an unlimited number of followers.
- Stories : Similar to Instagram Stories, Telegram users can create vertical image posts that appear continuously at the top of the Telegram app and expire after 24 hours.
- File Sharing : Telegram can send multiple file types to other users, with a size limit of 1.5 GB per file type.
- Voice Chat : An unlimited number of people can participate in a voice call as listeners or speakers. Calls between contacts can be private or public broadcasts/podcasts in groups and channels.
- Video Chat : Up to 30 users can communicate via their device's camera at any time in a chat. You can also share your device's screen and its activity in a video chat.
- Business : Businesses can create professional profiles with opening hours, map locations, and customer support chatbots. Mini-apps can also be integrated into business profiles to complete tasks (such as accepting payments from customers), all within the Telegram app.
Telegram and the vast majority of its features are completely free to use. However, you can access several enhanced features of the platform by signing up for the optional paid Telegram Premium membership.
Telegram Premium costs $4.99 per month when signing up through the App Store, but there are discounts for users who join using the PremiumBot method in the Android, desktop, or macOS Telegram app.
Here are some of the benefits that come with Telegram Premium:
- Faster download speeds.
- File size limit increased from 1.5 GB to 4 GB.
- More emoji reactions and stickers.
- Real-time language translation tool.
- No ads.
- Channel follow limit increased from 500 to 1,000.
- Additional customization options and features for your channel.
- Four enhanced features available on Telegram.
Telegram boosts are a digital currency that unlock certain features in channels and groups. Channel or group creators and followers can contribute pushes to reach milestones and unlock features. This partnership is often necessary because Telegram Premium subscribers only get four boosts, and you can't purchase additional boosts outright.
Some examples of additional features that facilitate unlocking of Telegram channels and groups include:
- Attached reaction emoji.
- Additional emoji status options.
- Ability to post more Telegram stories.
- Custom logo for quotes and links.
- Custom logo for channel or group cover.
- Additional color options for profile customization.
- Additional channel background options.
- Ability to disable ads for all followers or members.
The more boosts you give a channel or group, the higher the level it reaches and the more features it has available.
The number of boosts required to reach each level depends on the number of followers of the Telegram channel or group. A small channel with only 50 followers may only need one boost to reach level 1, while a large channel with thousands of followers may need 10 or more.
Telegram is often considered one of the most secure messaging and social media apps on the market. All communications and related media are protected by client-server encryption, which helps prevent data from being intercepted on its way to and from Telegram servers. End-to-end encryption is also available; however, you must manually enable this feature in the app's settings.
For technical details about Telegram's encryption and security features, please visit the Telegram website.
Telegram allows you to post messages and media with an automatic deletion timer and allows you to delete sent content from your and your contacts' devices. You can also protect your Telegram account with a passcode, two-step authentication, and Face ID on supported devices.
